Psychotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Psychotherapy, including details on psychiatry, psychoanalysis, methods, outcomes.

Family-based interventions for pediatric obesity: methodological and conceptual challenges from family psychology.

Kitzmann KM, Beech BM

Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA. k.kitzmann@mail.psyc.memphis.edu

Family-based interventions for pediatric obesity are defined by active parent involvement in treatment. In the current review the authors examine 31 family-based interventions with published outcome data and distinguish 4 categories of family-based interventions: (a) Target a narrow range of parent behaviors related to eating/exercise and assess change only in terms of child eating, exercise, or weight; (b) target a similarly narrow range of parent behaviors but nevertheless assess program-related changes in general parenting skills or family functioning; (c) target a broad range of parent behaviors related to general parenting and family functioning but do not assess program-related changes in these areas; and (d) target general parenting or family functioning and also assess program-related changes in these areas. The authors highlight methodological and conceptual challenges facing researchers in this area and argue for an even broader family focus in family-based interventions for pediatric obesity.

Published 7 June 2006 in J Fam Psychol, 20(2): 175-89.
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